Walchensee, Cavebase meeting

Participants: Roland, Robin, Marc, Arne, Peter, Manu, Stefan, Tim, Jacqueline, Zoé, Antje, Albert

On 27.06. Tim and Robin came to Roland around 14:00 o'clock to give a "briefing" or rebreather training for Tim in the Starnberger See.

We were in the water with EAN50 at the Wasserwacht in Allmanshausen in the Starnberger See for a few hours and then met up with Marc, Antje and Arne at the Kochelsee. In an economy at the Kochelsee again what decent meal and immediately further to the Walchensee to our accommodation. As always when we are at the Walchensee, we are accommodated with Conny.

The next morning we went after a breakfast in our pension to the dive site, gallery. Dives in the different buddy teams between 70m and 133m were planned and executed.

Manu and Peter, each with RB80 on the way, planned about 70m for 20min. Roland (RB80), Marc (RB80), Arne (RB80), Tim (OC) and Albert (OC) wanted to go to the car wreck at 95m to make some bottom time. Stefan and Robin, each with RB80, dived to 133m. Unfortunately, Albert's cuff leaked (tore!?) on the descent and he had to abort. Tim surfaced together with Albert, while the rest of the car wreck group continued their descent.

The dives all worked very well, as planned. On Sunday Arne, Marc, Stefan and Roland went to the gallery again. The rest of the group had, due to the partly very long journey, already said goodbye after breakfast and are already on the road again.

Here is a summary of the 133m dive of Robin and Stefan:

Robin and I planned a 133m rebreather dive which we successfully accomplished in the course of the Cavebase meeting at the gallery. The plan was to arrive at Walchensee early Saturday morning to get a good parking place. With this starting situation we would have it much easier with the heavy rebreathers to start and end the dive comfortably, since we would save ourselves longer walking distances. Fortunately this wish was fulfilled and we were able to park in a top location. Immediately we started to deposit the stages and heating tanks in the water. This allowed us to put on the equipment directly in the water. However, the large pile should later prove to be a disadvantage.

First, however, we began to assemble the rebreathers and carefully check their functionality. After all the preparations in bright sunshine, a lot of sweat and good mood by all participants, Robin and I started our dive before the rest of the crew. The reason was that not everyone would find room at the same time at the big pile of stages. So we were the first to go into the water. One by one we took up the needed stages. But then came the shock. My bottom mix stage was not to be found. After two more times of searching and circulating all the stages, it was clear. She was definitely not in the crowd. The idea quickly arose that it must have come loose and come to rest at the foot of the steep face on the slag heap. This possibility was seized and it was begun to slide at the wall into the depth. After a short time the stage was actually in sight, thank God in only 12m depth. Luck had! Now the actual dive could begin as planned.

No sooner said than done. The dive led us down the steep scree slope, past the wrecked car and then past the garden fence at the right angle to a tree that had fallen into the water. After a short unspectacular bottom time we started the ascent. The first stop was at 108m. Here it was impressive to see Roland, Arne and Marc arriving at the car. After a short pack dive around the car at about 95m the three left us to start their deco. From this point on a "lonely" dive started for Robin and me. And so it happened that we approached meter by meter towards the surface with longer and longer decompression times. The waiting time was only interrupted when Robin noticed at 60m that his heater had stopped working. However, the heater is just a piece of equipment that is supposed to make the dive time more comfortable. Such dives can be done without a heater and do not require one. So for the rest of the dive Robin had to do without the comfort. The rest of the dive was not worth mentioning. However, we had on 6m surprising and not agreed visit of support divers who took the gases for the deep part of the dive. So the rest of the 6m stop could be done with relatively little material on the body.

Thanks to the support!

In this sense,

Your Cavebase

Gallery

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